ELEPHANT-H UNTING. 



285 



Should an Elephant during the night fall through the deceitful surface, hia foot becomes jammed 

 in the bottom of the narrow grave, and he labours shoulder- deep, with two feet in the pitfall so fixed 

 that extrication is impossible. Should one animal be thus caught, a sudden panic seizes the rest of 

 the herd, and in their hasty retreat one or more are generally victims to the numerous pits in the 

 vicinity. Once helpless in the pit, they are easily killed with lances." 



The same author also relates that sometimes the Elephant-hunters, or aggageers, of the Hamram 

 tribe, use swords for killing Elephants. They follow the tracks of the animal, " so as to arrive at their 

 game between the hours of 10 and 12 A.M., at which time it is either asleep or extremely listless, and 

 easy to approach. Should they discover the animal asleep, one of the hunters would creep stealthily 

 towards the head, and with one blow sever the trunk while stretched upon the ground ; in which case 



AGGAGEERS HUNTING AN ELEPHANT. 



the Elephant would start upon his feet, while the hunters escaped in the confusion of the moment. 

 The trunk severed would cause a loss of blood sufficient to insure the death of the Elephant within 

 about an hour. On the other hand, should the animal be awake upon their arrival, it would be 

 impossible to approach the trunk. In such a case, they would creep up from behind, and give a 

 tremendous cut at the back sinew of the hind leg, about a foot above the heel. Such a blow would 

 disable the Elephant at once, and would render comparatively easy a second cut to the remaining leg. 

 These were the methods adopted by poor hunters, until by the sale of ivory they could purchase Horses 

 for the higher branch of the art. Provided with Horses, the party of hunters should not exceed four. 

 They start before daybreak, and ride slowly throughout the country in search of Elephants, generally 

 keeping along the course of a river until they come upon the tracks where a herd, or a single Elephant, 

 may have drunk during the night. When once upon the track, they follow fast towards the retreating 

 game. The Elephants may be twenty miles distant, but it matters little to the aggageers. At length 

 they discover them, and the hunt begins. The first step is to single out the bull with the largest 

 tusks ; this is the commencement of the fight. After a short hunt, the Elephant turns upon his 



